Improvement in oscillating engines



' UNITED STATES FELIX BROWN, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOB TO A. 815 T. BROWN 85 GO.,

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN OSCILLATING ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,575, dated June 12, 1866.

` To all whom tt may concern:

in which- Figure l represents a sectional side elevation of this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. v

This invention relates to an oscillating engine, the steam-supply valves of which connect, by suitable cranks and links, with a rockshaft, to which an oscillating motion is imparted by an eccentric or other equivalent device on the main shaft in such a manner that by the combined action of the oscillating motion of the cylinder and of the cranks and links on the rock-shaft an intermittent or irregular motion is imparted to the valves, causing the same to open and to close with great rapidity and to cut oft' the steam at any point to which the eccentric may be adj usted.

The invention consists, also, in the arrangement of a link pivoted to the frame ot' the engine and extending to an arm mounted on the spindle of the valve in such a manner that by the oscillating motion of the cylinder, to gether with the action ot' the arm and link, an irregular motion is imparted to the exhaustvalve, causing the same to open rapidly as the engine passes the deadcenters, and to remain open during the largest portion of the stroke.

A represents the steam-cylinder of an oscillating engine, said cylinder being hung in trunnions ct ct', which are bored out and com inunicate, one with the steam-passages and the other with the exhaust-passages.

The steam-passages lead to the opposite ends of the cylinder, and they are alternately opened and closed by the valves b b', whereas the exhaust-passages, which extend from the opposite ends of the cylinder, are opened and closed by the valves c c', which are situatedl underneath the cylinder, as clearly shown in Fig. l. Y

The steam-valves b b are composed ot' flat disks seated on corresponding ilat seats and pro vided with stems d d', which extend through the heads of the valve-chambers. Said diskvalves are furnished with segmental apertures f, and by turning the valves these apertures can be brought in such a position that they register with similar apertures in the seats, al lowing the steam to pass into the cylinder.

The valve-chambers are secured to theopposite ends of the cylinder, and from the valve-stems el d extend arms g g', which connect, by links hh', with a crank, i, mounted on the inner end of a rock-shaft, j. Said crank is provided with two wrist-pins, 7s 7a', one for each of the links t h', as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and an oscillating motion is imparted to the rock-shaft j by an eccentric, l, which is mounted on the end of the main shaft C, and which connects with said rock-shaft by a strap and rod, m, and by a crank, a.

By this method of connecting the valves with the eccentric an irregular motion is imparted to the valves, causing them to open very rapidly as the engine passes its deadcenters and to close with equal rapidity at any part of the stroke for which the eccentric may be adjusted and remain closed for the required period. An oscillating engine is thus obtained in which the steam can be used eXpansively, just the same and with equal advantage as in an ordinary reciprocating engine.

It will be noticed that the disk-valves which I use in my engine are so constructed that they are held in contact with their seats by the pressure of the steam, and that they can be readily set so that they work with the least possible friction by bringing a pointed screw to bear on the end of the valve-stem.

I do not wish to confine myself, however, to this precise construction of valves, since it will be easily understood that valves of any other suitable construction might be substituted without materially changing the result.

The exhaust-valves c c are constructed in a similar manner to the steam-valves b b', and from their'stems extend arms o o', which are connected by rods p p with studs q q'. These studs are rigidly secured in the frame of the engine, andthe arms 0 o and rods p p are so adjusted in relation to the studs q q and valves c c that by the oscillating motion of the cylinder an irregular motion is imparted to said val-ves, causing them to open rapidly at the proper intervals and to remain open alternately nearly during the entire stroke, one of the exhaust-valves being closed While theother is open, and vice versa.

By this arrangement an unobstructed eX- haust is obtained entirely independent of the cut-off mechanism, and an oscillating engine can be built which is provided with an adjustable or variable cut-off.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent, is- 

